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October 19, 2008

A new controversy rattled Bangladesh last week. Authorities in Bangladesh were forced to remove five sculptures of Bauls (mystic folk singers) including Fakir Lalon Shah in front of the Zia International Airport in the face of protests from an Islamist group. They formed a sculpture prevention committee which pressed that they do not want any sculptures in the airport area where the hajj camp is located and they do not want Muslims to start their journey to the Hajj pilgrimage seeing the sculptures. Islam does not allow worship of objects/depictions that represent God or his messengers, or saints. However sculptures are part of the different cultures the Muslim world represents and can be found in every part of the world.

The removal of the sculpture and the inaction of the government has sparked protest across Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi blogosphere had heated debate on this issue.

"An airport is the gateway for a nation. Every country will want to display its arts, cultures and traditions here. Is Lalon display of any religion? Will my country be identified as a fundamentalist country from its secular image because of some (mighty!) persons?"

"Its not only for Lalon but a cursed event for the whole nation. [..] The nation is being completely harassed by some people in religious cloths. Our government is silent. The people with conscience are dead."

Journalist Jahangir Alam Akashreminds that the country is under state of of emergency. However these (fundamentalists) are given the impunity by the government.

"Of all the things why they are messing with this sculpture? There are many sculptures in the country. So should we remove them all? The Hajj pilgrims will also come from the North Bengal. So should we also remove the glorious sculptures of freedom fighters in Gazipur crossing? If any pilgrim wants to come to the Airport from Bakshi Bazar they will have to travel past the Raju Monument in TSC crossing. So should we remove that too for them? If we choose not to do anything with them then why bother with the Laoln sculptures?"

Yoothochariexplains that the sculpture is not impersonating Lalon Shah but a symbol of all baul musicians:

"The sculpture being erected by Sculptor Mrinal Haque in the Airport road, was titled "unknown bird in a cage" (after a song of Lalon meaning soul). The sculpture do not represent Lalon but the Baul musicians because you cannot make a statue of him. There are no pictures or sketches of Lalon available."

Image: Protest slogans in the streets "Communalism or freedom of expression? Which way is the government?". Courtesy: Lal Dorja

Mahbub Morsheddiscusses that there is a deeper politics in it and the date coincides with the period when the government was under pressure to execute an arrest warrant against a top religious leader.

"What is the relation between consciousness and statues? If Lalon did any good to humanity with his writings then the people will place Lalon songs in their hearts. Why we need a statue for that?

In fact, peoples deeds places them in people's hearts, not the statues."

Lalon Fakir's songs has also inspired the rock music scenario of Bangladesh and some of his songs are rendered into popular modern folk rock. One of the rock legends of Bangladesh Maqsoodul Haque suggests to choose silence as a weapon of choice:

The Mullahs and Politicos combine wish us to be reactive and replicate their reactionary character. We do not consider them ‘worthy opponents’ or ‘worthy adversaries’ or even ‘worthy Comrades’. All we say is let us be – for we did not in the first place as a fraternity 'demand' or ask for any Monuments to our glorious ancestors, our forefathers......did we?

Those who have already commenced their ‘protest’ do not have either the bAUL’s or Bengal’s schools of socio-spiritual thoughts as an objective to further. Indeed, their objective and aspirations are narrow – as they wish to piggy-back on the bAUL issue to aspire for even narrower political expediency – the capture of state power – made even more complex give the restlessness prevailing in the country.

This is the oldest game known to mANKIND and epitomized in many bAUL songs:

Go tell the thief to stealGo tell the peasant to catch himWhy do you then call the children of hUMANs - sINNERs?